1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integrated piping plate for use in a fixed unit incorporating piping, wiring, etc. into an apparatus, or a unit integrated so as to be transportable, and a machining method for the integrated piping plate, a machining apparatus for the integrated piping plate, and machining equipment for the integrated piping plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
An integrated piping plate is used as a subsystem for a fixed unit incorporating piping, wiring, etc. into an apparatus, or a transportable integrated unit, and is mainly responsible for controlling the supply, discharge, etc. of a fluid used in the above units.
The above units are composed of various instruments, components, piping, wiring, and so on. Large and small piping lines are provided complicatedly everywhere in order that liquids or gases with various properties, temperatures and pressures continuously flow among these instruments, etc. Sensors and control instruments for control of the apparatus are also provided, and many necessary interconnections for them are laid. With devices of which downsizing including weight reduction, in particular, is required, efforts are made to arrange numerous instruments, components, piping, etc. highly densely in a narrow space. An integrated piping plate is applied as means for constructing a fixed unit incorporating piping, wiring, etc. into an apparatus, or a transportable integrated unit.
FIGS. 50A and 50B show an example of a configurational drawing of a conventional integrated piping plate.
As shown in FIGS. 50A and 50B, the conventional integrated piping plate is composed of plates 521, 524 having grooves 531 and communication holes 534 machined therein, and complicated channels such as the grooves 531 are formed by casting. The grooves 531 may be formed by other methods, including cutting with an end mill, a milling machine, or a drilling machine. In a surface of the plate 521 in contact with the plate 524, the grooves 531 having predetermined sectional areas suitable for the velocities of the corresponding fluids and having suitable directions and lengths corresponding to the locations of the communication holes 534 are formed as channels connecting instruments 525 and components 525a arranged on the plate 524. Thus, the instruments 525 and the components 525a are brought into communication by the communication holes 534. The grooves 531 and the communication holes 534 are in charge of the function of piping through which fluids or gases flow.
The plate 521 and plate 524 machined by the above method are joined by an adhesive so as to seal the grooves 531. Concretely, joining surfaces of the plates 521 and 524 are coated with the adhesive, and then bolts 526 are screwed into tapped holes 528 of the plate 521 through bolt holes 527 of the plate 524. Pressure is imposed on the plates 521 and 524 thereby in a direction in which they are joined together. Further, the plates are heated for bonding so that the grooves 531 are sealed.
The instruments 525 and components 525a arranged on the plate 524 are mounted by screwing bolts (not shown) into tapped holes 529 of the plate 524 via a sealing material. These instruments 525 and components 525a control the fluid flowing into the grooves 531 through the communication holes 534. Pipe connectors 522 for supplying and discharging the fluid are mounted on the plate 521 to supply and discharge the fluid to and from the instruments 525 and components 525a through the grooves 531 and communication holes 534.
Such an integrated piping plate is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1974-13651.
With the above-described conventional integrated piping plate, the plates constituting the integrated piping plate are cast into shape by simple molds, or shaped by cutting. Thus, portions which will give excess weight remain, posing problems about weight reduction and downsizing of the integrated piping plate. In order for the grooves to function as channels for fluids, there is need for the step of performing surface treatment of the groove portions, but this is not a method suitable for mass production.
Also, the adhesive is used for joining of the plates. This results in a low work efficiency, and is not very suitable for mass production. The bolts for fixing of the plates impede the downsizing of the integrated piping plate.
The excess wall thickness of the plate is present around the grooves having the function of piping. Thus, even when the fluid flowing through the grooves is to be cooled via the plate, it is difficult to raise the cooling efficiency.
In addition to the above problem, the integrated piping plate according to the present invention constitutes, for example, part of a fuel cell power generation system. Technical requirements for the integrated piping plate are volume production and low cost as in the case of the fuel cell power generation system. Further, downsizing including weight reduction, and a good response in controlling are demanded. Prompt volume production and cost reduction are demanded of the system by the market. There are not a few problems in fulfilling the requirements associated with future demand, such as actual volume production and cost reduction.
Thus, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention has as an object the provision of an integrated piping plate for apparatuses such as a fuel cell power generation system, the integrated piping plate whose assembly is facilitated by incorporating complicated piping and some components and wiring into the plate, and which is safe and permits downsizing of the apparatus.
It is another object of the invention to provide a machining method, a machining apparatus, and machining equipment for an integrated piping plate capable of improving the durability and pressure resistance of a plate joining portion, increasing work efficiency, and achieving further downsizing.
The invention also provides an integrated piping plate and a machining method for it, which can realize volume production and cost reduction, and achieve downsizing including weight reduction.